The new cultivar was discovered as a result of a planned breeding program, conducted by the inventor, Geoff Jewell. Astelia chathamica plants were self-crossed, seeds collected and planted out during 1997 through 1999. The new variety was discovered, by the inventor in a planting of the resulting seedlings, in early 2001, at a commercial nursery in Te Horo, New Zealand.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘AstJe101’ by division was first performed at a commercial nursery in late 2001, in Te Horo, New Zealand in and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.